Follow my Journey to Sub 15

Yesterday did 3x3k off 2:00 jog @6:20 so basically a broken tempo. Felt tired and sub par on the warm up but just cruised through the workout, and it felt much easier than past times I have done it. I guess this is fitness. Splits were 9:59 9:53 9:52 and split a 33:48 10k. Happy with it as my last bigger LT workout.

3xmile off 2:00 @4:51. Good first peaking workout. Low volume and high rest felt nice and relaxed.

Most of the plan looks good, but the only thing I don't like are the back to back workouts. I'd also keep threshold in until week 12 - even doing a 3k at tempo effort as part of your 'warmup' will help maintain it. The other thing I'm curious about is the '8x200 all out' - if it's truly all out you'd need about 20 minutes recovery between each; is it around 400 effort?

When I was in sub 15 shape (I ended up running slightly over, but it was a tactical race; I had run a low 8:30s 3k two weeks before), one workout I did biweekly was 5-6xmile around 4:55-5:00, off about 90s rest. The progression would be something like 5:02, 5:00, 4:59, 4:57, 4:55, 4:54

It felt slightly slower than 10k pace, but it was definitely faster than threshold: it helps improve your threshold, but it also gets you comfortable with some lactate in your legs

I, although this was probably pushing it, would also do between 50-60% of the race distance at pace on Tuesday, followed by a little faster stuff to get comfortable 'kicking', and then would take Wednesday easy, Thursday would be like 2-3 miles with one mile uptempo (around 6:00 - just comfortable), and Friday would be 3-4 with strides

Add some Light Tempos before your speed so you can maintain more of your fitness. Like a 2 Mile Tempo @10:40 or 5k Tempo @ 16:30-17 (Depending on how you feel) and make your warm up and Cool Downs 1.5 miles instead of 2miles. When you're to tapering this really helps.

I've scratched the hills to avoid back to back workouts.

By 8x200m all out I just mean as quick as my slow legs reasonably feel like they can go for 8, which is likely 28ish at this point in my training. Rest will be, perhaps, 5 minutes. I've also considered an 800m time trial 2-3 weeks out for a little turnover practice, since I haven't spent much time under 5k pace (aside from strides and post workout 200ms) in the last few months.

I fear it's too late in my block to add in the 5-6 miles @10k but I will certainly try this in my next block. I have less than a year @70+ mpw behind me, so I am not as aerobically developed as some of you, but I should be able to hit that pace in 2 blocks if not my next one.

About the pre workout tempos, I will certainly consider them. I've been warming up progressively such as to hit 5:55 avg for 3 but progressing down to 5:30 by the last mile. This will help ease my concerns about losing aerobic fitness so close to the race.

That said, I'm not a fast guy and was probably only in 4:30 shape at my peak mile fitness, nor am I an aerobic demon because I'm less experienced with years of high mileage. All my work has been targeting this goal in specific, yet I still feel if EVERYTHING comes together I have a shot. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated, thank you so much!

You can def go very far! Just Stay Consistent with milage (Just stay a 7:30-8min pace easy days to really recover), tempos and LT work. You will genuinely see such a big leap of improvement if you're doing 8-10 Miles of volume every week in that 5:10-5:20 mile pace range or maybe 13-16 Miles in 5:10-5:40 Range every week depending on how fast you want to go on your long runs. Do this with some light speed/hills at the end of a session in the offseason. The only "Junk" Miles are the ones ran @6:20-6:50 on easy days which are too slow for your LT and don't give you proper recovery for your next workout/race. Easy Pace should feel like you're walking and zoned out.

That warmup is very similar to how someone I know (sub 4) warms up for workouts. It increases your weekly mileage but isn't too strenuous and lets you maintain aerobic fitness even during 'peak' season

Is this kind of like The Athlete Special and his quest to go sub 14?

Physched with this one!

First speed faster than 5k pace other than strides in months, so had no idea what to expect.

Todays workout was 12x400m off 90" with 400j at 8;00 every 4 reps. Told myself I would be happy with sub 70, but knew this would be a big effort workout. Set averages were 67,66 and 64, and closed in 62. Absolutely thrilled with this, nice to see my speed was well above my expectations and that I could probable run anywhere from 4:20-4:30 in the mile.

Huge confidence booster going into my last few workouts and racing!!

Splits: 66,67,67,67,67,66,66,66,65,64,65,62

follow along on my strava @josiah “🥩” conley.

If you want to run 72’s for 5000 meters, you’ll need to be in 4:18-4:20 1600 shape.

I was able to run 15:30 off 4:43, so I figured if I want to run 96.77% of my 5k time, then I'd need to run 4:33 in the mile which I feel I am capable of.

great thread! How long are your long runs and how many runs are you doing per week?

14 mile long run - 8 runs per week. Cutting down to 13 now

Ran 20 miles last Thursday for my birthday - 4 weeks out. Definitely a bad idea but averaged 6:25 over hilly terrain and closed in 5:50 5:30 5:20. Felt decent but took 3 5 mile days to recover. Workout tonight, legs are feeling good.

Banger workout today. 14 minute progressive by heartrate (4 @160 4@170 4@180 3@185) Paces were 5:35 5:05 4:45 4:40. 8:58 last 3k split. 1 lap jog and then followed by 10x300m off 2:00 at 47-48.

Progressive felt ridiculously smooth, had no clue I was going that fast but when I saw my stats afterwards I was thrilled. First big indicator I can hold that for a 5k because that felt incredible

Awesome.

Keep it at.

8x600m on Thursday. What should be appropriate paces and rest. I plan to proceed this with 3 mile light tempo @5:20